The Second Choice (Paperback)

‘The Second Choice’ by Lakshmi Menon , opens with the scene of Pavithra, a 23 year old widow with her four year old daughter being persuaded to marry again by her father. Though she is reluctant to do so, she eventually succumbs to a new alliance mainly to relieve the anxieties of her father. She marries Venu, who has a 7 year old daughter and whose wife, Soumya, is bed ridden. Soumya whole heartedly endorses Venu’s second marriage.
The story proceeds to reveal the expected and unexpected happy and tense moments arising from the dynamics of the interactions between these four diverse individuals and their neighbours in Bangalore. It is a fascinating read on the modern urban lifestyle that demands a lot from normal families and much more from these four individuals who have come together with varying expectations.
The plot thereafter takes an unexpected bitter sweet twist that completely upsets the new found equation. From thereon, it is an exciting journey towards the surprising yet satisfying climax.
Lakshmi Menon, an accomplished bilingual writer, never slackens her pace as the novel works at several levels. Pavithra is a character we remember long after the last page as she tries to make the best of every situation, never wavering in discharging her duties towards everyone, including Venu’s wife. Venu has been well portrayed as the man who has to make difficult choices, pulled in different directions by force of circumstances. The other characters like Soumya and the two children give effective support to the two main characters.
‘The Second Choice’ is a good read that gives insights into the dynamics of intimate relationships, strength of character and the differing ways in which individuals handle adverse circumstances.

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